As Republicans struggle to unite behind Trump, they face a fundamental question about what it means to be a Republican and a Conservative in the United States today. Many people have long observed that while Republicans call themselves “conservatives,” the beliefs and actions of many their leaders and a large number of the members of their party do not meet the definition of the word “conservative.” Below is the actual definition of the word “conservative,” as well as two highly accurate definitions of the word “Republican.” Then, based on those definitions, I wrote a short poem to explore the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement called “The Reckless Lunatic & the Future of the So-Called Conservative.” Enjoy.
Definitions
Con-serv-a-tive:
- Holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
Re-pub-li-can:
- A reckless radical who is focused on a hatred of government and taxes, yet claims to be a patriot, starting disastrous wars, yet claim to believe in strong defense, hatred of poor and marginalized people, yet claims to follow Christian values which say to love and care for such people, and an all consuming obsession with banning abortion and birth control, yet they claim to believe in freedom.
- Someone who claims to be conservative, but does all the things in definition 1 and who votes for an erratic, immoral lunatic like Donald Trump.
The Reckless Lunatic & The Future of the So-Called Conservative
As Republicans struggle
To unite behind Trump
They somehow assume
Deep down
He is one of them,
Just another right wing firebrand,
Someone who is on their team.
But is he on their team
Or any team,
Other than his own?
The
Erractic,
Immoral,
Narcissitic,
Proudly unpredictable,
Team.
A reckless, dangerous man
That Republicans
Who claim to be conservatives
--Traditionalists who are careful about change--
Yet,
Somehow,
They think they can trust
Or maybe control
This man,
This Frankenstein
Pieced together
From corpses
Of the dying
Right wing id
And animated with
A spark of madness.
Perhaps
They think
The same way
Right wing politicians
Once did
When they thought
They could control
A fiery little corporal
From Braunau.